Location
On the South wall of the nave above the most Easterly window.
To the memory of
THE OFFICERS AND MEN
of His Majesty's Submarine
L.24.
LOST BY COLLISION WITH
HMS RESOLUTION WHEN SUBMERGED
10 Miles 221 degrees FROM PORTLAND BILL
on the 10th January 1924
Further Information
[Extract from Royal Naval Submarine Museum Site]
HMS L24 was detailed to take part in Exercise GA in January 1924, which was intended to improve submarine tactics in dealing with aircraft, both friendly and hostile. On 10th January HMS Resolution, a 29,000-ton battleship, left Portland bound for the exercise. After several hours at sea a lookout on board the Resolution reported a disturbance on the surface ahead and at 1113 a slight bump was felt. L24 was shortly afterwards reported missing and salvage vessels were dispatched to the area.
Unfortunately night soon fell and the weather the next day prevented any further search and by the 12th all hope of finding survivors had to be given up. The Resolution was checked for evidence of a collision, her chain was found to be fractured at the very bottom and this was taken as evidence of a collision. It is believed that L24 was unaware of the Resolution's position having carried out a mock attack on another ship and was surfacing when she suddenly became aware of the looming battleship. A crash dive was probably attempted but L24 was unable to avoid the battleship.
